Packing holder for fragile articles



May 23, 1933. v M. KQPPELMAN A 1,910,395

PACKING' HOLDER FOR FRAGILE ARTICLES Filed Dec. 21, 1928 v 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 May 23, 1933. M KQPPELMAN 1,910,396

PACKING HOLDER FOR FRAGILE ARTICLES Filed Dec. 21,.1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 6 mmm ea e Patented May 23, 1933 UNITED STATES PATE'NT OFFICE Monnis KOPPELMAN, 0F BRooKLYN, NEW Yonmnssenon, BY MEsNE AssIGNMENTs, ;I

TO PACKING PRODUCTS CORPORATION, A CORPORATION 0F DELAWARE This application is a continuation lin part of my original application filed October I, 1928, Serial No. 809,637, and relatesto packing holders for fragile articles such as fruits, vegetables, eggs, fragile containers and numerous other articles some of Which are catalogued in said application, and has. as its primary object, among others, the production of a packing holder adapted to be used in cardboard or other cartons or containers.

A further object is to provide a unitary holder adapted for use in cartons or other containers Whereby the operations and parts similar materials. necessary for packing same are reduced to a Furthermore, economizing labor, the present improvements increase the efficiency of the packing as Well as facilitate the dispensing, carrying, 'display and handling of the packed articles.

Another' object is the production of a novel article of manufacture of highly efficient form in such-manner and of such-material, that the strength, durability, cushioning efminimum.

PACKING HOLDER FOR FRAGILE ARTICLES Application filed December 21, 1928. Serial No. 327,527.

by one and the same process, may be practiced by first forming a flat sheet andv subsequently forming the projcctions. .therein. Any other suitable method may be employed for producing al sheet of this character.

, In forming the sheet and projecting portions thereof, Wood pulp., cellulose or other fibrous material is employed, the fibres being first placed in a :liquid bath. vMacerated paper, thoroughly disintegrated and mixed With water until it has thev consistency of thick soup may be employed, as mayiother -The formation of the sheets may then be accomplished by moldin addition to ing or felting by means of suitable dies or molds, Whereby. a sheet of relatively yieldable material results, With the aforementioned projections therein, all consisting of intimately' matted .fibres particularly Where the nature of the fibre employed renders it advisable, a hardening ,substance such Vas 'Portland cement may be added to the bath in quantity sufficient to If desired, 'and fect and usefulness of the holder is increased .secure the desired result, but this is not and the cost of production vdecreased.`

A still further object is to provide anovel receiver for a plurality of articles to be packed, wherein the receiver is uniformly and inh-erently resilient throughout Whereby local shocks are dissipated.throughout the The present improvements also provide a novel holder adapted to adjust-and holder.

necessary or essential.

accommodate itself automatically to articles disposed therein;

of varied dimensions, vand one in Which the packed articles are gripped or resilently held in the holder.

In practicing the present improvements, the holder is preferably made of light Weight material such as heavy paper, cardboard, rubber or other yieldable non-metallic material.

lng

Projections oribulged areas are preferably Fig. 3;

formed in a sheet of such material simultaneously with the formation of the sheet. The form of holder; l

formation of the sheets and the projecting portions, Valthough preferably accomplished Fig; l2'is a plan View o i l, showing same nlsheet form, before fold- The advantages of the present improvements lWill be further, set forth in connection Withthe accompanying description of the invention and drawings in Which- Fig. 1 is a perspective View of an open carton in outline, illustrating a holder embodying one form 'of the present improvements f the holder of Fig.

' Fig. 3 is a View similar to that of Fig. 1, showing a modified form of holder;

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal medial section through a portionfof the holder illustrated in Fig. 5 is a perspective View of a modified Fig. 6 is a perspective of part of a modified formof holder, parts being broken olf some .forms of the present improvements.

F oraminous formsvfor shaping the sheets are provided With bulged areas or protruding portions Where desired, for producing the sheets illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4 and 6, or with suitable corrugations for producing sheets as illustrated in F igs. 5, 7 to 9. These forms are passed through a liquid bath having loose pulp fibres floating therein.

Upon the application of suction to one side of said forms in a suitable manner, the fibres Which are relatively short and infinite in number, `form a coating or sheet on the form, in Which the fibres are felted or matted together in over-lapping, interengaging 'and superposed relation With slight regard for organized arrangement. If an enlarged cross section of such a sheet could be viewed, an infinite number of these short fibres Would be seen felted together with an infinite nuinber of minute spaces between the fibres. It is notable 'that this texture is found throughout the Whole of the sheet, in 'the flat portions as Well as the protruding and corrugated portions. A

Bv reason of the above described texture of the sheet, the dried fibres Will form a relatively 'rigid sheet but at the same time Will give to the sheet anl inherent elasticity. Therefore this 'method of making the sheet insures proper and accurate form when vdry and the preservation of that form in use since any pressure on the sheet or any part thereof Will tend'to move its fibres from their normal position and Will be constantly resisted thereby, to the end that all the parts ofthe sheet Will always have a tendencyV to return to their original position, Which causes them to-exert a counter pressure When slightlyV pressed or drawn therefrom. i' i v Accordingly the entire sheet and the elements thus formed therein, have great strength and will preserve their shapes under ordinary conditions of use and when unfolded or folded, as hereinafter described, to form the holder, a great amount of inherent elastieity is'fou'nd to be present therein. i Referring more particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, a sheet 10 is illustrated in plan in Fig. 2, said sheet being formed as above described. Substantially centrally ofthe sheet a scored or fold line lll is provided,and similar fold lines 12 and 13 are provided in the sheet spaced from line 11 and substantially parallel thereto, Whereby the sheet is divided into a plurality of portions.

As illustrated, the portions 14, 15, 16 and 17 are provided with a plurality of spaced, laterally projecting members 18, 19, 20 and 21 respeetively, Which members constitute spacing means, partitions as Well as cushion nenbers as hereinafter noted. These members 18 to'21 are formed in the sheet and integral therewith, during the manufacturing process and therefore are of the same texture as the sheet itself, namely, an intimately natted mass of shortv pulp fibres.

The members 18 to 21 may be substantially pyramidal in form and are preferably of that general shape having tapered surfaees as hereinafter referred to. These tapered surfaces may curve away gradually from the apex 22 and ridge 23 of the member, to the base and merge yeither with the contiguous sheet portion or the contiguous bulged areas 25.' Obviously, the formation of the sheet 10 with the .portions 14 to 17 therein, the latter'having the abovedescribed members 18 to 21, causes the under or opposite side of the sheet to have apertures 24 therein, whereby the laterally projecting members 18 to 21 are holow and define air pockets or buffers, as later described.

Although the sheets may be manufactured With only the protruding members 18 to 21 formed therein, the present improvements preferably provide bulged areas 25 in thev sheets intermediate such ,members Such areas are formed'in the sheet integral therewith (and thereforeare of the same texture as the sheet), also at the time of manufacture and merge Vgradually with the contiguous porfl tions 14 to 17 The concave surfaces of such bulges 'orprotuberanees 25 serve "as supporting ory sustaining means for paekedarticles, ythe con-vex outer surfaces serve as wall-spacing means, While the entire element 25 serves i asa cushion means, all as hereinafter more vfully set forth. i

Itis apparent from the foregoing description that the sheets 10 may be stacked one upon another'in nested relation, When in the unfolded form illustrated in Fig. 2. Obviously the protruding portions of the superposed sheet lwill nest in the kconplenentary portions of the adjacent sheets, and ad infinitum, thereby faeilitating shipment and storage of the sheets in unfolded position.

In use,"the sheet 10 isfolded along its fold lines, thereby disposing portions 14 to 17 at 'an inclination to'the vertical Whereby complementary portions define V-shaped sections, all as illustrated in Fig. 1; The holder 26, thus resulting, may be placed in a carton C. It is notable thatV the sloping portions 14 to 17 nowydefine inclined walls for the holder and the laterally-projecting members 18 to 21 are so positioned on the sheet 10 and are of such extent as to substantially meet or contact each other at theirI ridges 23. This result is seen in Fig 1, wherein compartments or receivers 27 are formed between such pairs of members and the intervening wall portions.

Each of these compartments or cells constitutes a cushioned pocket defined by the tapered surfaces of the members 18 to 21, which merge gradually into the intervening bulged areas 25, whereby the inner limits of such compartments conform generally to the shape of the article to be packed. It is notable upon reference to Fig. 4 (which also illustrates the arrangement of parts of Fig. l) that the packed article is supported laterally by the inclined walls so that the articles are not resting directly 011 the crotch of the rcceiver section. Where the bulged areas 25 are employed the rounded surfaces of the articles fit therein and same are supported laterally while points 27 and 28 also cooperate to sustain the articles above the crotch at fold line 12.

As the greatest transverse diameter of the articles may be below the horizontal nedial line of the holder, the size and weight of such article may cause the lower portions of the resilient walls of the holder to bulge out- Wardly as illustrated in some instances in the views thereby causing the compartment to automatically conform to the shape of the article with the attendant result that both the lower and upper half of the compartmentvcome into more intimate contact with the article. A gripping and retaining force is thus exerted on the article due to the above described self adjustment of the compartment as well as to the curvature of the walls thereof and for other reasons. It is notable also that the inclined walls as well as the areas 25 serve to exert a gripping action on the housed article under a plurality of Vother conditions. V

Aside from the foregoing functions of the compartments, the constituents thereof serve other purposes. The juxtaposed protuberances 18 to 21 are adapted to contact at their opposed ridges 23 whereby opposed pairs serve as a partition-or separating means for segregating the article of Vone compartment from that of an adjacent compartment. Likewise the opposed pairs at the ends of the holder adjacent the carton walls, serve a like purpose and also as cushions or buffers to protect the articles and absorb shocks applied lengthwise of the carton. An additional function of these protruding walls or partitions 18 to 21 resides in their action as spacing means. These nembers,` through their opposed ridges 23, serve to preserve the V-shaped' position of the wall portions of the holder and prevent same from collapsing too far inwardly, with the attendant preserva- Vtion of the compartment form.

Likewise the convex or exterior surfaces of areas 25 serve as spacing means and are adapted to contact one another as seen in Fig. 4 thereby preserving the proper inclination of the wall portions. In serving aswallspacing means, as such, these members may take other forms as is obvious.

The present improvements furthermore provide cushioning means for each compartnent. This result is attained'by the yieldable character of the sheet material as well as by the air cushions 24 and 29. At the same time, the entire holder 26 constitutes a cushion member wherein local shocks are dissipated throughout the whole. The texture of the holder also contributes materially to this result and is supplemented by the zigzag or corrugated arrangement of the walls 14 to 17 which latter` are adapted to shift with respect to the carton. Air pockets 30 and 31 between the said walls and the carton walls likewise serve to cushion and resist shocks.

It is thus seen that upon folding the sheet 10, as illustrated, a plurality of compartments or receivers for fragile articles are formed each having a cushion support with surrounding walls of relatively yieldable material. Each article is thus separated from its neighbor and well cushioned by the surrounding portions.

Referring to the modified form illustrated in Fig. 3, the fiuted holder 41 is shown with the fold lines and resulting walls disposed transversely of the sheet in contradistinction to the longitudinal disposition thereof. Either manner of folding the sheet, as set forth in my aforemention'ed copending application, is contemplated within the improvements. v

In Fig. 3, the sheet 40 is shown folded to form the holder 41 in carton C. While this form may be identical in every respect to that first described, except that the diverging V-shaped sections are disposed laterally of the carton, the present embodiment preferably contemplates the formation of the protruding members 42, of smaller pyramidal form, as illustrated. These members 42 serve in a manner'similarto that ascribed to the larger members except that they are not adapted for mutual contact. In this embodiment, the central members 43 and 44, in addition to their other previously catalogued functions serve as the spacing means, while the provision of the shorter members 42 permit the end portions of the wall members to come closer together and curve slightly about the article when inserted. This result is due to the yieldable walls responding to the form and weight of the article.

This form inay also have the bulged areas 25, as illustrated which function as previously described. Air pockets 30, 31' are also present in this embodiment and function as slightly ascribed. I All functionsand results ascribed to the form of Fig. l, are accomplished by the form in question, -With the added factor that tlie uniforin cusliioning effect by thecentire holder 4:1 and the dssipation of shocks is inore inanifest clue to the ability of thezigzag walls to shift throughout a greater area. Accordingly localfstrains or shocks inay be experienced and compensated for by a yielding resistance throughout the extent of the spring walls of the holder.

lVhile the holders have been illustrated as defining compartments .to' accommodate a dozen articles, it is obvious that the sheets may be inanufactured ina manner to acconmodate a` less or a greater quantity, as desired. It is further more notable, in theforms just described, that regardless offthe size and shape of a givenvnuinber of one group of articles, for example a dozen, the individual compartments as Well as its entire holder Will automatically adjust itself to the size and shape of the article packed. Since no two speciinens of the same commodity are identical in shape and size, this feature of the holders is important and insures that each article of a selected group Will be firmly packed, thus avoiding the loose packing of smaller sizes caused by adjacent articles of greater dimensions. j

In the form illustrated in Fig. 5, the V- shaped sections for sustaining the articles have been reduced in size but multiplied. Accordingly, the sheet is formed With corrugated base portions extending longitudi- .nally thereof; -Upstanding Wall portions 51 are disposed back to back, with laterallyprojecting corrugations 52 and 53, alternately short and'long. The shorter corrugations 52 serve to brace, cushion and maintain the articles erect, While the longer corrugations 53 serve as article separating and cushioning means thereby dividing the holder into a plurality of compartinents. The holder is ynanufactured vin sheet form as previously described and folded to the form shown; The

use and functions ofthis embodiment are ap-` parent in ViewV of the-detailed explanation with respect to other forms. g

The general forn'of'the sheet 60, illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8 is similar to that of Fig. 5. However, inV this form thecushion members are provided by forming portions 61 and 62 with corrugations 63V of substaiitially .equal height, while portions 64 and 65 are provided with corrugations 52l and 53, alternately short and long as illustrated. Every two corrugations'63Iserve as a cushion support: for an article, While the longer corrugations 53, When the sheet is folded, interpose such pairs of corrugations 63 and serve as laterally extending members, functioning in the same manner, asl members 18 to 21 previously described.l VThe shorter corrugations 52 serve to brace, cushion and maintain In Fig. 9, the slieet 7 0 is formed similarly to that of Figs.v 5, 7 and 8 except that the horizontally disposed cushioning portions 71 and 72 are formed Witha plurality of small cor- ,rugations extending laterally of the sheet whereby to afford cushion means upon Which the packedV article inay rest. The folding,

-use andfunctions of this forin are' apparent in vieiv of the detailed explanation with respect to other forms.

In the form illustrated in Fig. 6, the sheet is formed andk adapted'for use in cartons or other packing boxes or containers of .greaterlcapacity and are employed for use' in the latter due to the adaptability of their manufacture in a continuous sheet of any size as inthecase of the tWo forms initially described. Only a fraginent of such sheet is illustrated but it is understood that same inay be made up with an infinite number `of portions, which latter may extend to provide an infinite number of article compartinents, thereby providing a continuous holder 'limited only by the diinensions of the packing container in Which it is-planned to be einployed.

, Thesheet 80 is formed with a sequence of portions, viz, 81, 82 and 83, Which sequence may be repeated ad infinitum in the sheet. The portions 81 are provided with prisn shaped protuberances 84 similar to those set forth in my copending application, said meinbers 84 extending to the edge of the portion 82, vWhich latter portion .is provided With cushion means 85, as described in said application. Portion 83 has a relatively smooth surface, as illustrated. f

In use, the sheet 80 is folded to the form illustrated, Whereby each sequence of portions 81, 82 and 83 provides a holder. The functions, shape and efficiency of this forin are similar totliose ascribed to previously described forms. Obviously the air cushions, separating means and cushion means' are all present in this form and it is apparent that the arrangement of the portions in repeated sequence .indefinitely throughout the sheet provides a series of coinpartments for fragile articles Which'inay be quickly folded and applied foi-'use. l

It is notable with respect to the form in Fig. 6, that layers of articles may be packed in cartons or other boxes, without any other separate elements cominon i in the trade. vThisis obvious, 'When it is realized that the vupstanding walls 81 and 83 of one tier are supported by complementary portions of the tier thereunder, and thisis true Whether the contiguous tiers vare built'up With the walls of the superposedtiers vertically aligned or alternately criss-crossed. 'With either arrangement, the under surfaces of the bottom portions 82, with their bowl shaped cushions fit over and cushion the articles of the subposed tier.

All the holders disclosed herein, due to their texture, form and configuration tend to resist pressure and shocks from all directions but will yieldingly give under strains, returning to their original shape after release thereof. The spacing members and cushion means function to cushion the articles and yieldingly protect same, due not only to the texture of the walls thereof, but also to their shape and the air pockets formed thereby. This spring or inherent elasticity is present in all the forms and is shown in Fig. 9, where the upstanding wall portions are spread slightly at their bases. This feature provides a yieldable or elastic effect transversely of the fold lines and inay be taken advantage of in all embodiments, particularly in those illustrated in Figs. l to 4. lWith reference to the forms illustrated in Figs. 5 to 9, where the encasing carton or other receptacle does not admit of such spreading of the parts, they inay be placed together as in Fig. 5.

The advantages and efficiency of the present improvements are apparent. Primarily the sheets and resulting holders may be manufactured in any size depending upon the contemplated use which of course is governed by the size of the articles to be packed. Furthermore, the sheets in all the forms illustrated, need not be limited in the number of rows and partitions shown, but the rows may be continued and multiplied as desired.

A further feature of marked importance resides in the facility of manufacture, since a single sheet may be made, which provides in one operation, integral cushion rows with separating partitions, thereby eliminating the several manufacturing operations necessary in forming the separate packing elements common in the trade. Furthermore, the packing operation is facilitated, with the attendant economy of labor, due to the fact that but one sheet need be handled in fabricating the compartments or cells, thereby eliminating the trouble, time and movements the packer exercises in setting up the separate elements of all known types.

A further advantage is apparent in the facility and speed with which the sheets herein described may be folded to form a complete holder. This ease of assembly cannot be over-estimated and permits speedy insertion in the enclosing carton or box. If desired the holders themselves may be utilized without the surrounding carton or box, for purposes of displaying the articles on sale, or for carriage thereof by the ultimate consumer.

If desired, the laterally projecting members in Figs. l to 4 may be designed so that where small articles are packed, the inclined wall portions may be urged together from their illustrated diverging relation to assume closer positions. In this event the laterally projecting members may either be formed shorter,or their ridges designed to slightly overlap (whenfolded and packed), in which latter case, strength and rigidity is added to the holders. For convenience in illustration, some of the receivers or conpartments in Figs. l and 4 are shown with fruit housed therein, while others are unoccupied.

It is notable that the present improvements may be embodied in sheets for forming holders, wherein the material of whicli the sheets are made is other than that specifically described, for example cardboard, or other similar material may be employed, and the fold lines, cushion and spacing elements, etc., may be provided therein in any desired form or manner.

Various other advantages as well as modifications within the scope of the present improvements, will occur to those skilled in the art. Such modifications as come within the purview of the invention are intended to be covered by the appended claims. For example, any desired form of cushion and separating means may be substituted for those illustrated and other sequences of rows may be designed without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.

I claim:

l. A foldable holder for fragile articles having upstanding wall members, a hinge connecting said members along the base thereof and constituting a support for said members, said members having a plurality of projecting article separators bulged therefrom and extending into the space between said wall members, said separators being in groups of different height and protruding to a greater degree at the upper regions of said wall members than at the lower regions thereof, at least one short separator and one long separator being on opposed wall members and spaced so as to be on opposite sides of the fragile article.

2. A foldable holder for fragile articles having upstanding wall members, a hinge connecting said members along the base thereof and constituting a support for said members, said members having a plurality of projecting article separators bulged therefrom and extending into the space between said wall members, said separator-s being of unequal length so that when the holder is folded certain of the separators of greater height than others, at least one short separator and one long'separator being on opposed wall members and spaced so as to be on opposite sides of the fragile article.

3. A foldable holder for fragile articles having upstanding wall members, a hinge connecting said members along the base thereof and constituting a support for said members said1mombers having a plumlity ooi pmojeczting article fsepafat-ors .b ulged themefmon and extending into ,the space 'bet-meon said waii members ,sa1id separmtors povided stantialy the same height, abt those ,of one group dflering' height iftorn those of the other group.

Wtness my hand this 71th ,day .of Decem ber., 19287 county of New York, State vof N ew York. o

v MQRRIS KOPPELMAN. 

